Crittenden Is New WP Basketball Coach

WAITSBURG - Ta- vis Crittenden, who has coached youth basketball in the Walla Walla area, has been selected as the new WP head men's basketball coach.

The previous coach, TJ Scott, resigned last summer. Scott moved to Metlakatla, Alaska, near Ketchikan, to teach physical education, serve as an athletic director and continue his coaching career.

Interviews for the coach- ing position were held last week and it was announced Thursday that Crittenden was given the job.

"Tavis comes to us with experience both as an ath- lete and coach," said Steph- anie Wooderchak, Waits- burg's athletic director. "We are excited for our winter sports season."

Crittenden told the Times he has coached middle school-aged kids at the YMCA. Last March, he put together a successful team of eight boys from Waits- burg, Prescott, Touchet, Walla Walla and College Place and practiced six or seven times before the Pine Eagle Junior High Tourna- ment in Halfway, Ore., which they won.

He has been involved in basketball since age 5 and played one year in college at Blue Mountain Community College.

His college basketball career was cut short because of an injury. In addition to coaching, he has also run youth basketball camps.

Crittenden lives in Mil- ton-Freewater, Ore., and works at McDonald Zaring Insurance in Walla Walla.

"It's a big deal to let me have time off to do this," he said, praising his employer.

Why Waitsburg?

Crittenden said he's from a small town and knows and likes the dynamic of the community.

"I'm interested in coaching kids who want to work hard," he said.

He knows there is a lot of support and community pride for WP teams and he said he wants to be a part of that.

As a coach, he says his style is very physical, ag- gressive and up-tempo. His athletes will run a lot.

"No one is going to push us around," he said.

He hasn't yet seen the WP basketball team on the court, but a friend who ref- erees District 9 games had great things to say, Critten- den said. He knows many seniors graduated, but he's looking forward to build on the younger athletes and make them into a standout team.

"I just want for the kids to get better every day," he said.

In addition to rocking the game on the court, he also wants to focus his team on reaching out to the community to run youth basketball camps and help out in any way his athletes can.

"I'm excited about get- ting the team involved in the community," he said.

Crittenden has already been approved by the Prescott School Board and is expected to be approved at the Waitsburg School Board meeting on Oct. 10.